Rating: 
Summary: Worthless ...
Review: I am a 19 year old reader raised on Newbury Award winners and I love fine children's literature more than anything. I feel that the first two books from "A Series of Unfortunate Events" were by far the worst pieces of children's literature I have ever read. I simply could not stomach reading more books from that series. If you want a truly sad book, try "The Bridge to Terebithia". It, unlike Lemony Snicket's, has three dimensional characters and a reason to cry at the end."A Series of Unfortunate Events" is everything good writing is not. It is shallow, lacking in plot and character development, and insulting to children's intelligence. It is insulting to read reviews proclaiming these books as equals with great children's writing. I feel that children who enjoy these books need to be exposed to much better writing. Lemony Snicket's books are a very very poor reflection of what is available to children.
Rating: 
Summary: Why compare to Harry Potter?
Review: I read this book, initially, because of the frequent comparisons I heard drawn between it and the Harry Potter series, which I love. While this was an interesting book, I don't quite understand the comparison -- it's like comparing "Lord of the Rings" to "A Tale of Two Cities." They are entirely different realms of fiction. While the Potter books are generally hopeful, this goes for a more bleak tone. There's no magic or element of fantasy in this book either, it's just an unusual little tale that isn't bad, but leaves one wondering. The author frequently warns the audience that the story of the Baudelaire orphans is an unhappy one, which it is, but at the end of the book it doesn't seem quite as hopeless as the tone would lead you to believe. These are bright, resourceful children who have been tragically orphaned and taken in by a cruel, scheming relative (never seen that in fiction before, have we?), but they are SO bright and SO resourceful that by the time the book ends you are confident that no matter what "unfortunate event" happens next they will find a way to make it through. The author writes in an almost conversational style, as though the reader is in a circle of children crowded around him. He even takes this to the extreme of defining words for you, which is cute the first few times, but as a device is enormously overused. Plus, it betrays the true intended audience of the book. If you're writing for an audience that doesn't know what "fitfully" means, you won't write, "fitfully," you'll write "restlessly." And don't even get me started on "adroit." The children are likeable, though, and you find yourself feeling sorry for them. Sorry enough, at least, to consider reading book two. I suspect that also has an ending that leaves you sympathetic enough to march on towards part the third, and so on. It's a clever book, but not quite as clever as it thinks it is, and it's clearly not a book everyone will enjoy. But I think many people will. Oh -- and one personal gripe. It's a "rough cut" book, meaning the edges of the pages are ragged and don't line up with one another. I suppose this is done for effect, but I HATE "rough cut" books. Just thought I'd throw that in there.
Rating:
Summary: Horrible, creepy, not for young kids/teens!
Review: This book is horrible and creepy - from the children losing their parents in a fire, to being shipped off to their spooky uncle, Count Olaf. The Count threatens and mistreats the kids, and then plots to marry the eldest daughter Violet (who is like 12) in order to take over the family fortune. I would not want a young person/teenager to read this book. It was billed as Harry-Potter-like, but it totally lacked the sweetness and humor of Harry. I was creeped out and disappointed!
Rating:
Summary: I read this in a couple hours.
Review: This book was so short yet so compelling that I flew through it, and I ran to the store immediately to pick up the second one. Other reviewers who've said that the lead characters aren't as well-defined as one should hope are correct, for you're not truly invested in the uniqueness of Klaus, Violet and Sunny. They're not so much characters as they are tools of the plot. They're the things that monstrous plot twists are built around. By the book's end, after Klaus has been beaten, the infant Sunny has been trapped in a birdcage dangling from a tower and the 14-year-old Violet has been forced to participate against her will in a marriage ceremony, the wicked humor of the book wins you over. Though unfortunate for the Baudelaire children, it was a very pleasant way to spend a couple of hours for me.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bad Begining
Review: So you have an urge to read The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket? I like the entire Series of Unfortunate Events and especially the first book. The title explains everything. So if you aren't willing to read a scary and very sad book with an evil man named Count Olaf. Don't read it. Yet there are good things about this book that makes it great series. For example this book uses vocabulary. Also if you read this book you can imagine that you are there and go on an adventure. This book is also a great mystery thriller. Now let's get to what the book is about.
Superior strolls on the beach are good right? That's how it started. The Baudelaire children went to the beach too. Soon Mr. Poe came by and told them the dreadful news. The Baudelaire children's parents had died in a horrible fire. Now I haven't told you that the Baudelaire parents were rich so the children will inherit all of their parent's money and land when Violet comes of age. Mr. Poe tells them that they are going to live with a family member named Count Olaf their third cousin four times removed or fourth cousin three times removed. Count Olaf is as cruel as a teacher that gives 9 tests scheduled for tomorrow. He makes them do chores all day, treated them like animals, and made them serve dinner to six of his evil comrades. All of a sudden he starts being nice and wants them to be in a play called The Marvelous Marriage What does Count Olaf have up his sleeve? What will happen to the orphans? Read this book to find out.
Recommend this book to everyone that enjoys mystery and adventure. I'm sure you will like this book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bad Beginning
Review: The book I am reviewing is called The I think it was ok because I didn't hear all of it, but it was ok so far. I wouldn't recommend it because I didn't hear all of it. My favorite part was the end. It was sad. That was my book review.
Rating:
Summary: THIS IS THE BEST BOOK EVER!
Review: This is a great book! My favorite part is when the Bauldiare children tell Mr. Poe how mean Count Olaf is and he won't listen. One part of the book that got my heart racing was when Count Oalf told the children that their youngest sister was hanging by a thirty foot high tower in a bird cage. The only way he would bring her down was if Violet would marry him. This book is extremely hard to put down! If you like books about adventure and risking everything, this is the right book for you!
Rating:
Summary: A Great Book
Review: If you like rainbows and happy endings, then you must be kidding if you want to read this book. This book is strictly for people who can stand sad books.
It all starts when the Baudelaire children's parents die in a horrific fire. All of their assets are gone. The only thing the three children have is the Baudelaire fortune that they can not possess because they are to young. The three children names are Violet, Sunny, and Klaus. Their banker Mr. Poe takes them to their closest living family member Count Olaf. This was in their parents' will. Count Olaf turns out to be the most mean of all relatives. He captures Sunny and tries to force Violet to marry her.
If this plot was to succeed then he would have control of the fortune. Violet as smart as she is signed the contract with her left hand. This throws the deal off completely. Sunny is rescued and the Baudelaire children are sent off to the next family member.
Rating:
Summary: The Bashing Bad Beggining
Review: I finished reading The Bad Beggining on January 2 and I'm already in the middle of The Reptile Room.What made me go on to the next book immediately?I wanted to know what happend to Count Olaf.The characters are really brave,espicially Sunny because she was locked in a bird cage hanging from a tower. And she didn't even cry,and she's so young.It's a good thing Klaus read's so many books because he figured out what Count Olaf was going to do to get their fortune. I like how Lemony Snicket wrote that Violet has her hair in a ribbon when she's thinking of inventions.I can't wait till I finish the series! I.R.B.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: "The Bad Beginning" is the first book in "A Series of Unfortunate Events" following the tales of the three Baudelaire orphans--Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. The author, Lemony Snicket, records their tale so that the public will know what happened in the children's lives. He warns readers from the very beginning that the book does not have a happy ending and if that is what you are looking for, you should close the book right now. His warnings only serve to further tempt the reader's curiosity about what happened to these children. The book starts off sadly with the death of the children's parents. Suddenly, the wealthy and happy children find themselves orphans and at the mercy of others around them. They are sent to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf, who has paintings and carvings of eyes everywhere throughout his home. It quickly becomes evident that Count Olaf has no concern at all for the three children and is interested only in finding a way to get to their fortune, which is protected in the bank until Violet becomes of age to inherit it. Even with the kind Justice Strauss living next door, the children soon find themselves headed into miserable and frightening situations at the hands of their new guardian.
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